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Estranged husband charged in wife's fatal shooting

Shooting

Robert Lee O'Shields Sr., walks into the court room for a bond hearing Wednesday night at the Spartanburg County Detention Facility. Deputies have charged him with the killing of his estranged wife Mariann Eileen O'Shields, who was gunned down early Wednesday. Magistrate Judge Dwight Smith ordered Robert Lee O'Shields Sr. to be held without bond.

Published: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 10:24 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 10:24 a.m.

A Lyman woman was gunned down near a Spartanburg domestic violence shelter Wednesday morning, and deputies have charged her estranged husband in the killing.

Robert Lee O'Shields Sr., 52, of 277 Henderson Meadow Way in Lyman was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, according to the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office.

He is being held at the Spartanburg County jail without bond.

Mariann Eileen O'Shields, 55, had been staying at a domestic violence shelter in Spartanburg since March 17, incident reports state.

Mariann O'Shields had walked her daughter to a bus stop just before 7 a.m. Wednesday when a victim advocate working at the shelter heard several gunshots, according to the reports.

The location of the shelter, operated by SAFE Homes — Rape Crisis Coalition, is not being disclosed to protect the shelter and its clients.

Deputies responded to the shooting, blocking off several roads near the crime scene. Shell casings were collected, the reports state, and a witness said she saw a white van speed away.

Mariann O'Shields was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 9:08 a.m. in an operating room, Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said in a statement. She was shot three times.

SAFE Homes Executive Director Lynn Hawkins said she has been working with the Sheriff's Office, coroner's office and Department of Social Services on their investigations.

"It's hard to talk about it. We're just devastated," Hawkins said.

SAFE Homes has been in existence since 1987 and operates the largest domestic violence shelter in the state. The facility can house up to 54 women from Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties.

Hawkins said the organization has therapists and crisis victim advocates on staff and teaches clients about what to do if they suspect they are being followed or if their abuser is near.

"We tell them to go to the police if you ever see somebody following you," Hawkins said.

Robert O'Shields was arrested at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office Master Deputy Kevin Bobo said deputies found his vehicle parked at a home on Ethel Road.

"After he showed up on Ethel Road, those people took him to the hospital for this alleged panic attack," Bobo said.

Bobo added that he did not know Robert O'Shields' relationship to those who took him to the hospital.

Wearing an orange jumpsuit, O'Shields appeared distraught at a Wednesday night bond hearing.

Robert O'Shields also has been charged with violation of an order of protection. Mariann O'Shields had been granted an order of protection on April 8, prohibiting him from communicating with her except through text messages pertaining to their daughter.

According to incident reports, Mariann and Robert O'Shields met at the sheriff's office on April 19 and April 27 to exchange their child.

During that time, reports state, Robert O'Shields unlawfully communicated with her and made comments such as "I said a prayer for you today" and told her he had "taken all (the) money out of the bank to build a house" for their daughter.

Bobo said it is not common practice for couples with protective orders to meet at the sheriff's office to exchange a child, but that was court-ordered in this case.

Mariann O'Shields had gone to the sheriff's office Tuesday to file a report of a violation of protection order.

"Even if you do everything that you can, even if you file for an order of protection, even if you go to shelter, even if you are trying to escape with every fiber of your being, you can still be murdered," Hawkins said. "Protective orders can't stop a bullet."

Many residents who lived near Robert and Mariann O'Shields said they were "dumbfounded" and in a state of shock.

Neighbors Mark and Joan Wright appeared to be in disbelief when they turned on the news at 5 p.m. in their living room, and Robert O'Shields' mug shot flashed on the screen.

"We were totally taken by surprise," said Mark Wright, sitting in front of the television newscast. "They were very friendly. … We never saw any signs of any physical abuse."

They described their former neighbors as "helpful," "friendly" and simply "normal."

Robert O'Shields has no prior criminal charges, according to criminal records from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Calls for service records to the O'Shields' residence were not available by Wednesday evening.

Mark and Joan Wright live down the street from where the O'Shields had lived previously before purchasing property in another subdivision nearby in Lyman.

The O'Shields sold their old home on Pickle Buddy Court and were living in a camper on their property on Henderson Meadow Way while clearing land to build a new home, according to neighbors from both subdivisions.

Other neighbors said the two had been going through a divorce and expressed concerns for the 7-year-old daughter, now without a mother and with a father facing felony charges.

It is unknown how Robert O'Shields became aware of where his wife had been staying.

"I don't know for sure; the best I can guess is that maybe he saw her and followed her at some point," Hawkins said.

Bobo added, "I don't know if he followed her, or tracked her phone, or if the child told him or what."

<p>A Lyman woman was gunned down near a Spartanburg domestic violence shelter Wednesday morning, and deputies have charged her estranged husband in the killing.</p><p>Robert Lee O'Shields Sr., 52, of 277 Henderson Meadow Way in Lyman was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, according to the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office.</p><p>He is being held at the Spartanburg County jail without bond.</p><p>Mariann Eileen O'Shields, 55, had been staying at a domestic violence shelter in Spartanburg since March 17, incident reports state. </p><p>Mariann O'Shields had walked her daughter to a bus stop just before 7 a.m. Wednesday when a victim advocate working at the shelter heard several gunshots, according to the reports.</p><p>The location of the shelter, operated by SAFE Homes — Rape Crisis Coalition, is not being disclosed to protect the shelter and its clients.</p><p>Deputies responded to the shooting, blocking off several roads near the crime scene. Shell casings were collected, the reports state, and a witness said she saw a white van speed away.</p><p>Mariann O'Shields was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 9:08 a.m. in an operating room, Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said in a statement. She was shot three times.</p><p>SAFE Homes Executive Director Lynn Hawkins said she has been working with the Sheriff's Office, coroner's office and Department of Social Services on their investigations.</p><p>"It's hard to talk about it. We're just devastated," Hawkins said.</p><p>SAFE Homes has been in existence since 1987 and operates the largest domestic violence shelter in the state. The facility can house up to 54 women from Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties.</p><p>Hawkins said the organization has therapists and crisis victim advocates on staff and teaches clients about what to do if they suspect they are being followed or if their abuser is near.</p><p>"We tell them to go to the police if you ever see somebody following you," Hawkins said.</p><p>Robert O'Shields was arrested at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.</p><p>Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office Master Deputy Kevin Bobo said deputies found his vehicle parked at a home on Ethel Road.</p><p>"After he showed up on Ethel Road, those people took him to the hospital for this alleged panic attack," Bobo said.</p><p>Bobo added that he did not know Robert O'Shields' relationship to those who took him to the hospital.</p><p>Wearing an orange jumpsuit, O'Shields appeared distraught at a Wednesday night bond hearing.</p><p>"We've got some serious stuff here," Magistrate Judge Dwight Smith said.</p><p>"Yes sir," O'Shields said quietly.</p><p>O'Shields could face the death penalty if found guilty, Smith added.</p><p>Robert O'Shields also has been charged with violation of an order of protection. Mariann O'Shields had been granted an order of protection on April 8, prohibiting him from communicating with her except through text messages pertaining to their daughter.</p><p>According to incident reports, Mariann and Robert O'Shields met at the sheriff's office on April 19 and April 27 to exchange their child.</p><p>During that time, reports state, Robert O'Shields unlawfully communicated with her and made comments such as "I said a prayer for you today" and told her he had "taken all (the) money out of the bank to build a house" for their daughter.</p><p>Bobo said it is not common practice for couples with protective orders to meet at the sheriff's office to exchange a child, but that was court-ordered in this case.</p><p>Mariann O'Shields had gone to the sheriff's office Tuesday to file a report of a violation of protection order.</p><p>"Even if you do everything that you can, even if you file for an order of protection, even if you go to shelter, even if you are trying to escape with every fiber of your being, you can still be murdered," Hawkins said. "Protective orders can't stop a bullet."</p><p>Many residents who lived near Robert and Mariann O'Shields said they were "dumbfounded" and in a state of shock.</p><p>Neighbors Mark and Joan Wright appeared to be in disbelief when they turned on the news at 5 p.m. in their living room, and Robert O'Shields' mug shot flashed on the screen.</p><p>"We were totally taken by surprise," said Mark Wright, sitting in front of the television newscast. "They were very friendly. … We never saw any signs of any physical abuse."</p><p>They described their former neighbors as "helpful," "friendly" and simply "normal."</p><p>Robert O'Shields has no prior criminal charges, according to criminal records from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.</p><p>Calls for service records to the O'Shields' residence were not available by Wednesday evening. </p><p>Mark and Joan Wright live down the street from where the O'Shields had lived previously before purchasing property in another subdivision nearby in Lyman.</p><p>The O'Shields sold their old home on Pickle Buddy Court and were living in a camper on their property on Henderson Meadow Way while clearing land to build a new home, according to neighbors from both subdivisions.</p><p>Other neighbors said the two had been going through a divorce and expressed concerns for the 7-year-old daughter, now without a mother and with a father facing felony charges.</p><p>It is unknown how Robert O'Shields became aware of where his wife had been staying.</p><p>"I don't know for sure; the best I can guess is that maybe he saw her and followed her at some point," Hawkins said.</p><p>Bobo added, "I don't know if he followed her, or tracked her phone, or if the child told him or what."</p>